


Black Eyes, Blue Tears

by dsa_archivist



Category: due South
Genre: Drama, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 1999-10-14
Updated: 1999-10-14
Packaged: 2018-11-10 14:20:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11128617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsa_archivist/pseuds/dsa_archivist
Summary: Based on the Shania Twain song. Francesca's abusive husband comes back to haunt her. Will Ben & Ray be able to protect her?





	Black Eyes, Blue Tears

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Due South Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/duesoutharchive).

  
opposites

##  _Black Eyes, Blue Tears_

####  by Bunny ( Mercarmaid@aol. com ) 

* * *

  Black eyes, I don't need 'em.   
  Blue  tears give me freedom. . .   
  Oh, yeah.   
  Oh.   
  Positively never goin' back.   
  I won't live where things are so out of whack.   
  No more rollin' with the punches.   
  No more usin' or abusin'.   
  I'd rather die standin', than live on my knees,   
  beggin' please, no more.   
  Black eyes, I don't need 'em.   
  Blue tears give me freedom.   
  Black eyes are behind me.   
  Blue tears 'll never find me now.   
  Uh-uh, whoa.   
  Definitely found my self-esteem.   
  Finally, I'm forever free to dream.   
  No more cryin' in the corner.   
  No excuses, no more bruises.   
  I'd rather die standin', than live on my knees,   
  beggin' please, no more.   
  Black eyes, I don't need 'em.   
  Blue tears, give me freedom.   
  Black eyes are behind me.   
  Blue tears'll never find me now. . .   
  I'd rather die standin', than live on my knees,   
  beggin' please ,   
  beggin' please,   
  beggin' please,   
  Ha.   
  Black eyes, I don't need 'em.   
  Blue tears give me freedom.   
  Black eyes are behind me.   
  Blue tears'll never find me now.   
  Oh, they'll never find me now.   
  It's all behind me, they'll never find me now.   
  Find your self-esteem and you're forever free to dream.   
  
Ray and Ben were going over a report on the case they just finnished, and Ray had yet to receive a new assignment from Welsh yet. They were a bit bored;filling out the many forms was rather like doing a book-report in grade-school. But, they soon would've both given anything to have the boredom back. . .   
  
Gino: Hey, ex-bro-in-law!  
Ray: (looks up sharply)What are you doin' in town?  
Gino: That any way to greet me?Aren't ya gonna introduce me to the boy-scout over here?  
Ben: (stiffly)I am a constable in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. 

Gino: Yeah?Gino Perilli.   
Ben: Benton Fraser.   
  
Gino extends his hand to shake Ben's, but Ray knocks it out of the way.   
  
Gino: Just tryin' to make friends, Ray.   
Ray: (coldly)My partner doesn't want to be friends with the likes of you.   
  
Suddenly, Francesca came up with 2 small paper bags in her hands.   
  
Francesca: (walking over)Hi, guys I brought you some---  
Gino: Hello, Francesca. Long time no see.   
Francesca: What are you doin' here?  
Gino: I missed you.   
Francesca: Yeah, well ya seen me. Now, scram!  
Ray: You heard her;move!  
Gino: Without hearing my news?  
Ray: (eyes narrowing)News?  
Gino: I'm a corporate exec. now. I got a new office, and a new secretary. At the "Louglin" firm.   
Francesca: (weakly)That's where I work.   
Gino: Yeah, you were in the secretarial pool, so I requested you specifically, babe.   
  
Francesca's eyes grow huge.   
  
Gino: Just like old times, eh?  
Francesca: Sure. . . I quit!  
Gino: You can't---  
Francesca: I can do whatever I want;didn't my brother tell ya to leave?  
  
Gino merely shakes his head & walks out.   
  
Ray: (puts a comforting arm around Francesca's shoulders)Uh, why don't we all go for a ride, huh?  
  
Francesca nods, and he motions for Ben to follow them. In truth, he felt the people in there had seen more  than enough, and knew she wouldn't want them to see her cry, which was very likely coming.   
  
Ray drove, Ben sat in the back with Diefenbaker, and Francesca sat in the front seat, head leant against the window, huddled into herself.   
  
Ray: Frannie?  
Francesca: Hmmm?  
Ray: Don't worry, he won't. . . I won't let him. . .   
Francesca: I know;I almost wish I'd told ya the first time. You'd've have stopped it.   
Ray: (tightly)Yeah, he'd've never touched you again.   
Francesca: I. . . I was just afraid to.   
Ray: You didn't think I could protect---  
Francesca: No, I knew you could. I just didn't want you to think less of me, and I didn't want you to go to jail or something because of a mess I got myself in.   
Ray: It was never  your fault. Okay?  
Francesca: Yeah, I know that now, but. . . I was 18 when we got married. And, he definitely knows how to make a gal feel worthless.   
Ben: (eyes narrowing)I. . . Francesca. . . He hit you?  
Francesca: Yeah. . . He was always sorry, and it was always the "last time". After about a year, I finally made it the really last time.   
  
Ben was completely speechless. He hadn't a clue how anyone  could hurt Francesca. It put a pit of rage in his stomach that he couldn't swallow. His thoughts then went to the helplessness Ray must've felt when he realized, too late to do anything. . .   
  
A bit later, they were at Ben's apartment having takeout.   
  
Francesca: I don't know what I'm going to do;how can I afford to really quit?  
Ray: (shocked)You can't honestly be considering working for that. . . scum?!  
Francesca: No, but. . . Where can I work?  
Ben: Well. . . perhaps there is an opening at the consulate?  
Ray: Benny, ya sure about---  
Francesca: Don't you have to be Canadian?  
Ben: (smiles)Not for a secretarial position. I can pick my own, if I want one.   
Francesca: What about the one you have now?  
Ben: I don't have one now. . . But, it would be more convenient to have someone to take messages and fill out forms for me. . .   
Francesca: Ben, that's really sweet, but. . . You're not just creating a position for me, are ya?  
Ben: Nonsense, Francesca. I honestly am supposed to have one, I just never had time to hire one.   
Francesca: Well. . . okay!  
Ray: (gives Ben a grateful look)Um, stay clear of the Dragon Lady.   
Francesca: Oh, I don't think we'll have any problems.   
  
Lt. Thatcher: Constable!My office!Now!  
Ben: Yes, sir.   
Francesca: (smirks)Sir?  
Ben: Well. . .   
Francesca: Go. . . but, it fits. . .   
  
Ben suppressed a smile and went into her office.   
  
Ben: Is there a problem?  
Lt. Thatcher: Yes, Constable, there is.   
Ben: Oh?  
Lt. Thatcher: Your secretary is incompetent!  
Ben: I beg your pardon?  
Lt. Thatcher: You heard me.   
Ben: Now, see here. Francesca is a truly capable woman. She has been a secretary for 3 years now, and does a darn good job of it. She took all my messages, typed some things I needed done, which freed up my time to work on my caseload.   
Lt. Thatcher: (sullenly)She messed up my message.   
Ben: Forgive me, sir, but Ovitz is your secretary, Francesca is mine. I would appreciate you not giving her his workload.   
Lt. Thatcher: Very well, Constable. But, next time you wanna hire your girlfriend, check with me?  
Ben: But---  
Lt. Thatcher: Dismissed.   
Ben: Understood.   
  
Before he could leave, though, from the other side of the door they heard a horrific crash, and a scream issued from Francesca. When they rushed out there, they saw her huddled on the floor, her fist closed to her chest.   
  
Ben: (rushing to her in concern)Francesca?  
Francesca: (tears streaming down her face)They're from him. . .   
Ben: Let me see your hand.   
  
He takes her hand, expecting to find a cut, but instead finds a small card, saying "Congrats on your new job, princess. See you soon. "  
  
Ben: (scooping her up)Come on, Francesca. I'm gonna take you home.   
Lt. Thatcher: Constable---  
Ben: Ovitz can clean it up;I have to take Francesca home.   
  
With that, he leaves, cradling Francesca protectively to his chest, ignoring the shocked looks from Lt. Thatcher.   
  
Ben: (stalking purposefully intot he station)Ray?  
Ray: Hey. . . Somethin' wrong, Benny?  
  
Ben mutely hands him the card, and his eyes narrow and flash with rage.   
  
Ray: Like hell he'll "be seeing her"!  
Ben: I thought you should know.   
Ray: (nods)Thanks, man. . .   
  
He grabs his coat & stalks out towards the Riv, followed by Ben. They speed over to Francesca's old firm, and he angrily punches the buttons to Gino's floor. He sees him standing over a young woman at a secretary desk, and smiling.   
  
Ray: You son of a. . .   
  
Rather than finnish that statement, he opts. for lunging at him, knocking him down and beating him on the ground.   
  
Ben: Ray?  
  
Ray just ignores him, and keeps beating him bloody. Ben finally, (afraid of Ray being brought up on charges)pulls him off.   
  
Ben: Ray!Stop!Getting arrested won't help you protect your sister!  
  
Ray slumps back relunctantly, but it didn't stop him from trembling with rage.   
  
Ray: (pointing at him)If you ever, and I mean ever come near her again, nothin' or nobody will stop me from killing you. (starts walking out)C'mon, Benny.   
Ben: Be with you in a minute Ray.   
Ray: (over his shoulder)Yeah, okay. (walks out to wait)  
Gino: (grins)Your partner there always did have a temper, but, you seem more sensible.   
Ben: (coldly)If you ever approach Francesca in any manner, I would be hard pressed to remember my "sensibilities". (he stalked out)  
  
Three days past, fairly uneventful, and not a word from Gino. Francesca sat in her room, sitting on her window-seat, staring at the rain streaking the window. It was a boring Saturday. Ma, Maria, Tony, and the kids were all visiting her Aunty Sela for a week, and Ray was catching up on some paperwork at the office. She remembered the first time Gino. . . Man, that was the first time in years that she'd called him anything other than "the pig". . . even in her head. . . She was broken out of her reverie by an insistant seeing an all too familliar car pull up in the drive. . . She raced downstairs to put a chair at the door, but, it was too late. As she made it to the end of the staircase, Gino kicked the door in.   
  
Gino: My princess. . .   
Francesca: (flatly)Don't. Don't ever call me that again.   
Gino: (walking towards her)I missed you, baby.   
Francesca: (backing up)No;stay away from me.   
Gino: How can you say this to me, Frannie?We belong together. . . You never had it as good as with me. . .   
Francesca: You nearly ruined my life.   
Gino: Come on baby. . . (reaches out and grabs her)You know you missed this. (grabs her and kisses her roughly)  
  
The clock chimes and Ben adjusts his hat, and walks off from sentry duty. He glanced at his watch, and thought maybe he could catch Francesca for lunch. He figured she would probably be home;he only had 1/2 Saturday duty as a result of a. . . heated conversation between himself and Lt. Thatcher. It wasn't that far a walk to the Veccio's, even though it was raining. . .   
  
Ben comes to the house to see the door kicked off the hinges, and then was horrified to see "the pig" on top of Francesca on the stairs, raising up to backhand her. Gino was shocked to feel someone grab his wrist in mid-swing, and pull it behind his neck, yanking him off the ground and nearly dislocating his shoulder.   
  
Gino: What the---  
  
Ben just grabbed him and decked him. He hit him again and again, even after he couldn't get up, he just hefted him back up by the shirt. Finally, he was standing over him, trembling with rage.   
  
Ben: No more warnings, Perelli. You will never come near her again.   
Gino: Help me;he's crazy.   
  
Ben just grabbed him and cuffed one hand, cuffing the other to the pole outside. He called the station, and Lt. Welsh sent over Ray and a couple of uniforms to pick him . Ben looked at Francesca, still lying on the stairs, trembling, shirt torn. . . He went and knelt by her. . .   
  
Ben: (gently, whispering)Frannie?  
  
Francesca wraps her arms around his neck, and buries her head into his chest, sobbing quietly.   
  
Ben: (soothingly)Shhh. Shhh. You're safe now. . . You're safe. . . I am so sorry. . .   
Francesca: No. . . you. . . you saved me. . .   
Ben: (voice raspy with unshed tears)I'm sorry he got to you. . .   
  
Suddenly, Ray rushed in, and saw his sister in Ben's arms.   
  
Ray: (alarmed)Frannie?  
Francesca: (raises her head up & brushes the tears away from her   
cheeks)Hey, Ray.   
Ray: Ya okay, sis?  
Francesca: Yeah. . . I'm okay. . . he didn't. . . he didn't. . .   
Ray: (cupping her face)Oh, babe. . . Don't you worry he can't get near you ever again. . . This time he won't. . .   
  
Ray's eyes glistened as he pulled her into a warm embrace, and she felt safe for the first time in days. She knew they spoke the truth. It was over this time. . . this time for good. No more black eyes, no more blue tears. . .   
  
The End  


* * *

 


End file.
